Psychosocial Support Issues Affecting Older Patients: A Cross-sectional Paramedic Perspective

Abstract

This research aimed to gain an understanding of the psychosocial support needs of older patients in the out-of-hospital setting from the perspective of paramedics. Specifically, we investigate if and how paramedics are able to meet the needs of older adults, and the barriers preventing them from achieving this. This study was a cross-sectional study utilizing a sequential design with both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. All participants agreed or strongly agreed that older patients have needs beyond the physical and that they would like to do more for older patients. Paramedics discussed that psychosocial support issues are rarely in isolation and straightforward but were often coupled with broader, longer term physical health and social support issues. They would like to be able to do more for patients but feel hamstrung by lack of time, resources, and know-how.

Behavioral Health Emergencies Encountered by Community Paramedics: Lessons from the Field and Opportunities for Skills Advancement

“…1,4 Paramedics encounter a range of behavioral health crises, from individuals who have self-harmed, substance use, to older adults experiencing social isolation. 6,7 This study aimed to answer the following questions: Do paramedics feel well prepared to respond to behavioral health crises? How do paramedics describe the challenges and facilitators involved in responding to these situations?…”

“…5 In a mixed methods study, Australian paramedics reported the need for more education on how to adequately respond to older adults experiencing complex mental health crises including depression, social isolation, and food insecurity. 7 Limited research has explored paramedic perceptions, attitudes, and experiences responding to behavioral health emergencies, but the existing research indicates that many emergency healthcare providers consider physical health emergencies more valuable or important than behavioral health emergencies. [8][9][10] Studies indicate that paramedic students do not consider training in mental health issues as relevant to the profession, 1 with an Australian study of paramedic undergraduate students indicating a lower level of regard for those with intellectual disabilities, substance abuse disorders, or acute mental illness compared to students studying in other health professions.…”

The Role of Social Isolation and the Development of Depression. A Comparison of the Widowed and Married Oldest Old in Germany

“…Social isolation is most likely, because other losses due to hospitalization, moving away to nursing homes or the death of significant others besides the partner, may additionally affect the integrity of the social network. Despite deserving special attention, there is an undersupply of oldest old individuals with psychosocial and mental health services [ 21 , 22 ].…”

Acceptability of a nurse-led, person-centred, anticipatory care planning intervention for older people at risk of functional decline: A qualitative study

“…Notwithstanding the advantages of improved access to practical help and advice (e.g., dietary changes, exercise advice, guidance with making a will, a Do-Not-Resuscitate order, assistance with tax-free home adaptations, and social prescribing), and medication review, participants reported deriving great benefit from the psychosocial aspect of the nurses’ visits, their active listening, compassion, and personal validation. Psychosocial support concerns in older adults are often a feature of chronic physical health and social support issues [ 41 – 46 ]. This was particularly true for those in our sample who felt lonely, isolated and ‘forgotten about, which notably included the hearing impaired [ 47 ].…”